Michigan State University College of Law

Michigan State University College of Law draws talented students from across the country and the globe. Our supportive faculty and dynamic programming position them for success. The College of Law is a strong institution that produces Spartan lawyers with legal skills and the willingness to work together. Its roots date back to 1891 when the Detroit College of Law was founded to serve Detroit residents. Prior to the founding of the Law College, Detroit residents could only become members of the bar by reading law in their local attorney's offices. These "readers", law clerks and students from southeastern Michigan,theyre the founders of the Law College. The school's directorstheyre students during its first two years. This was a rare situation. A future judge on the circuit court and an ambassadortheyre among the 69 graduates of the first class. The Law College's commitment to providing quality legal education to all segments of society was demonstrated by the inclusion of a woman in the first class, and an African American in its second. The Law College became affiliated with Michigan State University in 1995. This allowed students to have access to many resources and allows them to maintain their student-centric culture. The relationship between MSU Law and MSU Law grew closer over the years. In October 2018, MSU Law leadership announced their intention to fully integrate the school. MSU College of Law became fully integrated into MSU in August 2020. It is now a constituent college of MSU. Michigan State University College of Law continues to preserve the DCL values of accessibility and opportunity, work ethic, and immersion in the profession while taking advantage of the Big Ten opportunities.